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Oral history interview with Casiano Corpus Jr. conducted by Cecilia Winchell and Stefani Evans on February 14, 2023 for the Reflections: the Las Vegas Asian American and Pacific Islander Oral History Project. In this interview, Corpus Jr. details a difficult childhood in the Philippines, where society is highly socioeconomically stratified. He recalls his parents working a number of jobs to support their large family, and as soon as he finished his primary schooling, he also started working in construction. When his father was finally petitioned by his uncle to move to the United States, Corpus was at first reluctant to go, since he had a familiar life in the Philippines, but has come to love the United States and the life he created for himself. Immediately after moving to the United States, their family landed in Las Vegas, Nevada, and Corpus began working a number of jobs. He started out as a busboy at a Chinese restaurant before deciding that he wanted to work in a casino and moved to Union Plaza. His current job is as a porter at Palace Station, where he has been for the past 31 years. He has also been working to unionize Palace Station and Station casinos with the Culinary Union for the past twelve years. He talks about the hunger strike he organized, why he organizes with no fear, and what he hopes to see out of his efforts throughout the interview.
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"Geraldo" talkshow episode "Las Vegas: the American Fantasy." Geraldo reports on the latest generation gambling in and on Las Vegas. Las Vegas is the fastest growing city in America in the year 2000. It is a unique fantasy in the desert drawing millions of tourists each year and is a major resource for employment. Corporate America has moved into Las Vegas and created super casinos and some of the largest hotels in the world. Since the arrival of super casinos, union membership has tripled, making Vegas one of the few places in the country where union membership is on the rise. The payoff for these workers is affordable housing and benefits that have changed the ethnic landscape of the city. Rivera also reports on gamblers with dreams of striking it rich and problem gamblers whose livers were torn apart because of their addiction. Original media VHS, color, aspect ratio 4 x 3, frame size 720 x 486.
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On March 18, 1976, collector David Steele Broussard interviewed Relda Whitney Leavitt (born April 3rd, 1917 in Saint Thomas, Nevada) at her home in Las Vegas, Nevada. In this interview, Mrs. Leavitt discusses growing up in Saint Thomas, Nevada before her family moved to Las Vegas. She also discusses moving to Las Vegas, Nevada and her family’s dairy business in Whitney, Nevada. She speaks about the different changes and growth she has seen in Las Vegas over the years.
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